Water walking apparatus

ABSTRACT

FOR USE IN WATER, APPARATUS PERMITTING THE USER TO WALK ON THE WATER THROUGH THE USE OF SAID APPARATUS WHICH COMPRISES TUITABLY SHAPED RECEPTACLES FOR RECEIVING THE FEET OF THE USER TO PROVIDE SUITABLE SUPPORT THERETO, AND WHICH COMPRISES PREFERABLY RECTANGULAR MEMBERS WITH SIDES WHICH SLIGHTLY TAPER AND FURTHER PREFERABLY INCLUDING MEANS IN THE WATER TO ENABLE THE USER TO MOVE ONE FOOT FORWARD WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER, SAID MEANS PREVENTING BACKWARD SLIPPAGE OF THE APPARATUS IN THE WATER.

March 2, 1971 B. DAVIS ETAL I 3,566,427

WATER WALKING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 12, 1969 Bill Davis 8 Larry T.Hod0 n INVENTORS FIG. 3 BY ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,566,427 WATER WALKING APPARATUS Bill Davis and Larry T. Hodon, Austin, Tex., assignors to Bill Davis, doing business as Texas Urethanes, Austin,

Tex.

Filed Feb. 12, 1969, Ser. No. 798,663 Int. Cl. A63c 15/00 US. Cl. 9310 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE SUMMARY OF PROBLEM AND SOLUTION Water amusement sports attract and hold the attention of many people seeking recreation. The device of the present invention is directed to an apparatus which provides substantial entertainment, amusement and recreation to the user. The present invention is summarized as incorporating a pair of generally rectangular devices suitably adapted to be attached, one to each foot, to enable the user to walk on water. The generally rectangular members are slightly tapered to conform with the loading of the body weight on the feet which are received in suitable receptacles mounted on the left and right rectangular members. More particularly, traction is obtained, somewhat as a cat uses his claws in walking, whereby the rectangular members are stepped one in front of the other without slipping backward as the user draws his rearward foot forward. The claw-like means has the preferred form of that illustrated in the drawings of the apparatus, although other suitable sizes and shapes are believed readily adaptable.

Many objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from a consideration of the included specification and drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a user standing on water utilizing the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the left and right water walkers of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2 illustrating the shape of the claw-like means;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view showing details of the bottom construction to impart further understanding of the claw-like means which enables the present invention to maintain traction in the water; and

FIG. 5 is a frontal view of the water walkers in the water.

Attention is first directed to FIG. 1 of the drawings which illustrates the user walking on water with the present invention, which is indicated by the numeral '10. The present invention is comprised of a left rectangular member 12 and a right rectangular member 14. The members are symmetrically similar one to the other as shown in the drawings. The size of the members is variable in relation to the weight of the user, although the ice size which will be described hereinafter will accommodate all but the very heaviest of individuals.

The water walkers 10 enable the user to walk on the water in an almost normal manner which is achieved merely by placing one foot forward of the other in an alternating manner with some slight shuffling of the feet to maintain both walkers 12 and 14 in the water. As one foot is placed forward, the walker attached to that foot is raised slightly in the water but the buoyancy of the other is more than sufificient to maintain the whole weight of the user. Balance is achieved because support is maintained under both feet, and the tendency to tip or fall over is substantially reduced.

Attention is directed to FIG. 2 of the drawings which shows the top view of the water walkers 12 and 14. Preferably, a relatively inexpensive canvas top shoe having a rubber sole is joined to the water walkers at the location illustrated. The shoe 16 is slightly inboard of the center line of the water walker 12 and is displaced slightly to the rear of the apparatus. The remaining shoe 18 is likewise symmetrically placed as shown in the drawings. The two shoes are preferably sli -on shoes to permit the user to place his feet suitably within the receptacles of the shoes to laterally support the feet of the user. As will be understood, a full shoe is not required. For instance, thongs or straps may enclose the feet of the user. Moreover, receptacles to receive the feet of the user may be recessed below the top surface of the rectangular bodies as desired.

Attention is next directed to FIG. 3 of the drawings which illustrates the water walker 14 in sectional view. The upper surface is indicated at 20 and preferably is a portion of a surrounding plastic casing which extends fully about the apparatus. The interior is filled with a foam plastic to provide buoyancy. By way of example and not limitation, the interior is filled with foam polyurethane. A resilient non-porous plastic coating is placed on the shaped foam as shown in the drawings. An exemplary coating is polyvinyl. The apparatus has the general configuration of a rectangle, although the sides slightly taper. Thus, the apparatus has a preferred depth of perhaps eight inches at the back wall 24 and is perhaps one to one and one-half inch smaller at the front wall 26. The center of the weight is approximated at the arrow indicated in FIG. 3 which is slightly to the rear of center of the apparatus. The support of the buoyant body is so located with respect to the load of the foot, mostly on the heel, permits the user to maintain his balance rather easily.

In FIG. 3, the sectional view illustrates a forward sloping undercut at 28 and a similar undercut at 30. The two undercuts preferably extend across the width of the apparatus. The two undercuts extend from side wall to side wall as shown in FIG. 4. The undercuts do not add resistance to the water when the water walker 14 slides forwardly in the water since the surfaces of the undrcuts slope away from the water on forward movement. However, when the water walker 14 is urged rearwardly, the undercuts create tractional engagement with the water to prevent slippage. The undercuts 28 and 30 further cooperate with a V-cut 32 shown in sectional view shown in FIG. 3 which also opposes rearward movement of the water walker 14. v

Attention is momentarily directed to FIG. 4 of the drawings in which the V-cut 32 is shown. The V-cut 32 functions similar to the undercuts 28. That is, on the tendency to move rearwardly, water is engaged in the V-cut 32 and must escape in such a manner as to oppose slippage rearwardly. The V-cut 32 works along the center line of the water walker 14 while the undercuts 28 and 30 extend fully across the apparatus. Consequently, the tendency against rearward movement is not converted to sideways slippage. The three means 28, 30 and 32 co operate .to provide the claw-like engagement similar to that of animals to steady the user of the present invention.

Attention is next directed to FIG. 5 of the drawings which shows an inwardly sloping profile of both the water walkers 12 and 14. The outer edge or face 36 is somewhat shorter than the inner wall or face 38 of the walker 12. The water walker 14 is symmetrical in this factor also. The two water walkers thus permit the foot receptacles 16 and 18 to be located inboard of the center line yet still supported by the center of buoyancy as will be understood in viewing FIG. 5. The relative dimensions are something on the order of perhaps six or seven inches in height for the side wall 36 and perhaps one or one and one-half inches greater height for the inwardly located face or wall 38.

Note should be taken of the relative sizes and buoy ancy of the present invention. One suitable size is perhaps six or seven inches average thickness, keeping in view the slight variations from truly parallel sides noted herein, with a total length of about thirty-two inches and a width of about sixteen inches. The size mentioned above, when formed of foamed polyurethane exemplified above enables the apparatus to easily support an adult of perhaps one hundred fifty pounds or slightly more. For greater sizes, the addition of an inch or two to the major dimen sions will more than materially increase the buoyancy to accommodate an adult weighing perhaps two hundred to two hundred fifty pounds.

The water walkers of the present invention may be used by a full-size adult or even by a small child. In operation, the user places his feet in the receptacles, preferably the canvas shoes shown at 16 and 18. A convenient time for placing the feet in the water walkers 12 and 14 is while sitting on a boat, pier, or other nearwater structure. Also, they can be mounted while in the water, and although this is somewhat more difficult, it can be mastered through practice. The user then stands at an erect posture with the knees slightly bent. To walk, the user should raise one foot slightly and place it forward of the other foot. It is diflicult to raise one foot substantially out of the water because the water walker on the other foot bears the entire weight of the user and tends to sink slightly. As a consequence, the use of the device more resembles shufiling in which the foot striding forward senses the waters resistance to the movement of the attached water walking device, but which, at the same time, provides some buoyancy and support of the weight of the walker. This is contrasted with conventional walking in which the striding foot supports no weight of the user while in mid-air. In any event, one foot is moved substantially in front of the other and then the rearward foot is pulled forward to a new position. The forwardmost water walker engages the water through the use of the undercuts 28, 30 and 32 and overcomesthe tendency to move backward. As a consequence, a stride of reasonable length may be obtained and is not lost in slippage of the water walkers. The device thus enables repetitive strides by the user in short order to enable the user to cover a reasonable distance rather quickly. It should be noted that the weight of the user is normally evenly divided between the two water walkers when in the position shown in FIG. 1. However, during walking, perhaps as much as 90% of the weight of the user is shifted to the stationary water walker which then tends to sink somewhat into the water. The depth to which the device sinks is not great, but, nevertheless, it is sufiicient to impart a sensation of bounding with which people are familiar from walking on very soft ground. The sensation of bounding presents no particular problem.

The range of buoyancy is dependent on the weight of the user. It will be also understood that the devices themselves essentially float almost completely on top of the water, and for this reason, FIG. 5 is exaggerated in showing the relative water depth. Through the use of the preferred materials noted herein, the preferred size noted above will support most adults and all children. However, variations in size and material density can be adapted to increase or decrease the buoyancy of the present invention.

While the foregoing has described the preferred embodiment, many variations may be adapted within the scope of the present disclosure. As noted above, the foot receptacles 16 and 18 are preferably inexpensive canvas shoes which are glued or otherwise joined to the buoyant members comprising the present invention. Precise configuration is easily varied to include thongs or straps which encircle the users foot to a greater or lesser extent, or through the use of a recessed well within the top surface of each of the two buoyant members. Moreover, the form or configuration of the buoyant bodies can be further streamlined if needed. That is to say, a V- shaped bow may be placed on each of the two buoyant members 12 and 14 to enable the present invention to guide through the water more swiftly. Likewise, the skin and filler construction shown in FIG. 3 is not required in the present invention. Thus, a single homogeneous material may be used to comprise or form the present invention. However, the preferred embodiment uses a waterproofed foamed expandable plastic internally to provide the buoyancy and a tougher plastic coating to protect the apparatus from scufis and scratches in handling, and to prevent absorption of water pollutants and the like.

The present invention is defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

#1. Water sports apparatus comprising: an elongated body of a buoyant material adapted for cooperation with a similar buoyant body to support a person for travel across the surface of water; first movement-controlling means in said body and including at least one transverse recess therein formed upwardly from the bottom surface of said body and defining a forwardly and upwardly inclined rearwardly-directed upright face as well as a rearwardly and downwardly inclined forwardly-directed upright face whereby forward movement of said body in water is relatively unimpeded by said forwardly-directed face and rearward movement of said body in water is substantially restrained by said rearwardly-directed face; second movement-controlling means in said body and including a forwardly-directed recess formed in said body and opening to said bottom surface and the rearward end thereof to define opposed laterally-directed upright faces whereby lateral movements of said body in water are substantially restrained and forward movement of said body in water is relatively unimpeded by said laterallydirected faces; and means on said body and adapted for releasably securing one foot of a person to a centrallylocated position on the top surface of said body and substantially over the center of buoyancy thereof.

2. The water sports apparatus of claim 1 wherein said body has a generally trapezoidal transverse cross-section so as to shift said center of buoyancy to one side of the geometric center line of said body so as to correspondingly shift said foot-securing means toward one longitudinal edge of said body.

3. The water sports apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bgily is composed substantially of a foamed plastic mate- 1'1 4. The water sports apparatus of claim 3 wherein said body is covered with a non-absorbent coating.

5. The water sports apparatus of claim 1 wherein said foot-securing means include a shoe secured to said top 348,678 surface of said body. 475,691 584,760 References Cited 618,229 FOREIGN PATENTS 5 634,606

558,346 5/1923 France 9--310 578,474 7/1924 France 9--3 955,351 4/1964 Great Britain 9-310 6 Italy 9-3 10 Italy 9-310 Italy 9-3 10 'ItaIy 9-3'10 Italy 9-310 GEORGE E. A. HALVOSA, Primary Examiner P. E. SAUBERER, Assistant Examiner 

